MDC Alliance MPs To Attend Mthuli's Mid-term Budget Presentation
MDC Alliance MPs will attend the mid-term budget presentation by Finance and Economic Development Minister, Mthuli Ncube in Parliament this Thursday.
This is a departure from recent similar events when the party’s MPs have boycotted Parliament, protesting against President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s presence.
The MDC Alliance has refused to accept Mnangagwa’s legitimacy, insisting that the 2018 presidential election results were manipulated in his favour.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the party’s spokesperson Fadzayi Mahere said legislatures will attend Ncube’s presentation “to demand answers” but that does not in any way endorse Mnangagwa.
Below is the statement in full:
STATEMENT ON ATTENDANCE OF MID-TERM FISCAL REVIEW STATEMENT AND SUPPLEMENTARY BUDGET PRESENTATION
In light of the deteriorating economic situation, the current public health emergency and the growing bad governance crisis, the MDC Alliance has taken the decision to attend the Mid-Term Fiscal Review Statement and Supplementary Budget Presentation to be made by the Minister of Finance, Mthuli Ncube, in Parliament on Thursday, the 16th of July 2020.
Given the state of fiscal indiscipline, policy inconsistency and endemic corruption, the MDC Alliance has resolved to participate in this legislative process in order to hold the executive to account by fully interrogating the Finance Minister’s decisions and seeking clarity on the catastrophic state of our economy.
The Minister of Finance has shown a propensity to make financial decisions through the use of statutory instruments that circumvent due process and rob the people’s representatives of an opportunity to question his actions and suggest viable alternatives, as is the purpose of Parliament.
The MDC Alliance notes that Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa may be present at this event. We maintain that Mr Mnangagwa is illegitimate and the total collapse of the economy under his imposed tenure is evidence of this.
However, given the grave humanitarian stalemate, Zimbabwe finds itself in, it would be imprudent for us to let his presence quash the voice of the people at this critical time. The centre is failing to hold.
The mismanagement of the economy through bad governance and insatiable corruption is the single greatest threat to our livelihood. We will demand answers.
Fadzayi Mahere [National Spokesperson]
